Gibson chosen for USA Select team
Derrick Rose is out for the Olympics, thanks to ACL surgery, but the Bulls will be represented at Team USA training camp.
Forward Taj Gibson was chosen to play on the USA Select team that will scrimmage against the national team beginning July 5 in Las Vegas as it prepares for the 2012 Olympics in London. Rose was part of the select squad before the 2008 Olympics.
Gibson, a three-year pro, was chosen with the 26th pick of the 2009 draft out of USC. The Brooklyn native averaged 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds this season and did a nice job stepping in for the injured Joakim Noah in the NBA playoffs.
“Being chosen for the Select Team is quite an honor, and it’s an important step in becoming involved in USA Basketball’s National Team program in the future,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in the statement.
“The USA Select Team was a vital part of the USA Men’s National Team’s training in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and again in 2012 we’ll utilize this team of select NBA players to help get our National Team ready for the very competitive summer that is ahead of us.”
Other players chosen for the select team include rookie of the year Kyrie Irving from Cleveland, Washington’s John Wall, New York’s Jeremy Lin, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, Indiana’s Paul George, Orlando’s Ryan Anderson, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Utah’s Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward, and San Antonio’s DeJuan Blair and Kawhi Leonard.
The select squad will hold a training session on July 5, then work with the national team from July 6-11.